Jeremiah 23:20

20 The Lord's anger will not turn back until He has completely fulfilled the purposes of His heart. In time to come you will understand it clearly.[a]

Jeremiah 23:20 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 23:20

The anger of the Lord shall not return
Having a commission from him, and being sent forth on an errand to do business for him, it shall not return to him, without having done it; as a servant sent by his master does not return till he has finished what he was sent about: until he have executed, and till he have performed the thoughts of his
heart;
all his counsels, purposes, and designs, respecting those his anger kindled against, the false prophets and wicked Jews: in the latter days ye shall consider it perfectly;
when too late to avert it by repentance and reformation when all this shall be fulfilled, and the seventy years captivity take place; or, "in the end of days" F4; in the latter part off time, when the Jews shall be converted, and seek the Lord their God, ( Hosea 3:5 ) ; then "shall [they] understand it with an understanding" F5, as it may be rendered; when they shall have the veil removed from them, and turn to the Lord; then they shall have a true and thorough understanding of these things; of the cause and reason of them; and of the mind of God in them, and the ends to be answered by them. Kimchi says this will be in the times of the Messiah.


FOOTNOTES:

F4 (Mymyh tyrxab) "in extremo dierum", Cocceius; "in extremitate dierum", Calvin, Piscator, Schmidt.
F5 (hnyb hb wngwbtt) "intelligetis hoc inteliigentia", Calvin, Gataker.

Jeremiah 23:20 In-Context

18 For who has stood in the council of the Lord to see and hear His word? Who has paid attention to His word and obeyed?
19 Look, a storm from the Lord! Wrath has gone forth, a whirling storm. It will whirl about the head of the wicked.
20 The Lord's anger will not turn back until He has completely fulfilled the purposes of His heart. In time to come you will understand it clearly.
21 I did not send these prophets, yet they ran [with a message]. I did not speak to them, yet they prophesied.
22 If they had really stood in My council, they would have enabled My people to hear My words and would have turned them back from their evil ways and their evil deeds.

Footnotes 1

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